Wednesday, February 28, 2007

'Dreamers and Gamblers' doc earns 'Accolade'

Local documentary filmmakers have been acknowledged for shining light on the nascent days of the Ark-La-Tex’s oil industry.

“Dreamers and Gamblers: Spirit of the Pioneer Wildcatters” was singled out for honorable mention in the short documentary category of the annual Accolade Film Awards. The competition is based in La Jolla, Calif., and accepts worldwide submissions in film, TV and video categories.

Subjects of the 57-minute documentary are the wildcatters, risk-taking entrepreneurs who kick-started the region’s oil and gas industry during the first half of the twentieth century.

Teresa Smith Politz, one of the documentary's makers, said the award offers the project some vindication. “It’s a good documentary,” she said. “We’re trying to get some distribution and this is going to help.”

"Dreamers and Gamblers" aims to honor its subject. “There’s really nothing out there that is positive about the oil industry,” Politz said. “We wanted to give them a pat on the back and thank them for what they’ve done.”

Politz made “Dreamers and Gamblers” with Debi King McMartin, G. Scott Griffin and executive producer Ray Worsham. To purchase the documentary or learn more, log on to www.dreamersandgamblers.com or call Politz at (318) 469-1512.